A Winter's Day
by SuicideAngel1369
Summary: Just a fluffy little one-shot between our resident Major and feisty Bella Swan


The mug of hot chocolate I held in my hands felt good as I stood in the cold of the snow in the backyard of the Cullen's rather ostentatious home; my face red from the cold and hair blown back from the wind. My eyes were lit up with joy as I watched my vampire family wrestle and throw snowballs at each other. "Bella! Build a snowman with me!" Taking a long drink of my cocoa, I sat the cup down on the patio table and pulled my gloves on over my reddened fingers. "Sure!" Trudging through the snow, I stood next to Alice, grinning. "Why don't you start with the base and I'll go grab some accessories for it!" A laugh spilled out of my throat as I mock scowled up at my hyperactive friend. "I'm pretty sure you just want me to build it for you!" Alice grinned and pat my cheek softly with her icy fingers. "I'll be right back!"

Shaking my head, I realized she had gone, and started to pile snow into my hands, shaping it into a ball. Quietly, I hummed a Christmas song to myself as I dropped the ball into the snow and fell to my knees, trying to make it bigger. It had taken me a few minutes to work it, but I soon had it big enough that I could stand and just roll it along the powder. Once it was big enough, I repeated the process with the second layer, making it slightly smaller. "Let me help you lift that, Bella!" Giving an annoyed growl, a hiss fell from my lips as I stared at Edward. "I can do it!" Pushing air from my nose in a snort, I rolled the second ball on top of the base, grinning. "Told you so!" He raised his hands and backed away slowly. "Sorry…" Sniffing, I gave him a nod and turned back to my project to make the head.

I grinned again when I heard Emmett's booming laughter from across the yard. "Belly-boo sure showed you, Eddie-boy!" A snarl reached my ears and I turned to see Edward launching himself at Emmett. " _That's it!_ " They crashed to the snow, almost taking a tree down with them as they rolled off into the forest. Shaking my head, I tapped my chin, looking for the next best powder to use. "How 'bout over here, darlin'?" Looking up, I found Jasper pointing over to a path of untouched snow and I nodded. "Thank you, Jay! That'll work!" Grabbing his hand, I pulled him over to the patch and pushed him back into it, using the element of surprise to do so. "Snow angel, Jasper!" A blond brow quirked upwards at me and I fisted my hips. "Well?" Uh oh. He had that devious grin on his face. There was no way I could get away fast enough…

In a flash, I was on top of the honey blond vampire's chest before he rolled me over in the snow. "But I already have a snow angel, darlin'." His nose skimmed along the edge of my jaw as my blush came in at full force. Wrapping my arms round his neck, I gave a sigh of contentment as I pressed our lips together softly. Jasper's tender gold eyes stared down into my own chocolate brown ones and he rubbed the tips of our noses together in an Eskimo kiss. "Alright you two! It's time to get this snowman finished!" We both laughed at the impatient tone of Alice's voice as he helped me up, brushing away the wetness as best he could before rolling out a head using his advanced speed, and carefully leading me to the pixie. "About time! Sheesh!" Jasper shook his head, smiling, as he placed the last layer on top of the snowman.

Clapping her hands, Alice pushed the traditional coal eyes, mouth and buttons into the snow before handing me the carrot as she threw an old plaid scarf around the neck. Placing his hands around my hips, Jasper lifted me just a bit so I could press the orange vegetable in the middle of the face, and pulled me to his chest as we stepped away. Giggling, Alice bounced up and down. "That's a wonderful idea, Bella!" Jasper quirked his brow again and I stood on my tiptoes to give him a peck on the lips. In no time, Alice had one of Carlisle's top hats in hand. Laughing, she placed it on top of the snowman's head and we both starting humming 'Frosty The Snowman' to ourselves. "What a lovely snowman, you two!" I beamed up at Esme and gave her a quick squeeze. "Thanks, mom!" Amber eyes widened in joy and I got a fuzzy feeling in my chest that was ruined when I sniffled.

"I think it's time we get the human inside, don't you?" Wasting no time, Jasper had me in his arms as he raced up the stairs to his room. Gently kicking the door closed, he sat me down on one of the rocking chairs he kept by the bed and started divesting me of my sopping clothing. "Esme will put these in the wash for you, darlin'." I smiled and nodded, gazing up at my blond vampire with a soft fondness. Pushing my feelings out towards him, a small smile flitted across his lips as he pulled me up and lead me into the en-suite bathroom. Shivering from the cold, I stretched upwards, not embarrassed by my nakedness in front of Jasper as I rolled out my shoulders. Popping my neck, back, elbows, knees, ankles and knuckles, I couldn't help the laugh that bubbled out from me at the sight of Jasper's face. "I wish you wouldn't do that, Isabella." Staring up at him through my lashes, I felt fire envelope my insides as his sinful mouth uttered my full name.

"Well cowboy, if you'd like, you can join me in here and help me with my hips…" My tongue poked out to wet my lips. Jasper gave me that devilish smirk of his that had me weak at the knees in an instant. "My apologies, _Isabella_. I will have to require a rain check for that." I couldn't help the pout that fell over my face and crossed my arms over my chest. His cold fingers ran gently along my cheekbone before he had my face in his hands; his lips pressed to mine. "You're gettin' a cold, darlin'. We need to warm you up, and I'm afraid that the _activity_ you had planned just won't do." A small whine began to build in my throat at being denied. His gold eyes hardened and he scowled. "Isabella, now is not the time. Get in the tub." We were at a standstill as we stared each other down. Jasper's eyes darkened by the second and I bit my lip. "B-but I _want_ you!"

He crossed his own arms over his chest, straightening out his relaxed posture so he stood at his towering height of 6'3", dwarfing me at my measly 5'4". "This is not up for debate, Isabella. Either you get into the tub, or I will give you an adjustment for that attitude of yours." Acting on autopilot, I stomped my foot against the linoleum tiles, glaring up at him. Heaving an unnecessary breath, I found myself over his lap within a second as he sat on the seat of the toilet. "Now little girl, you have been very disrespectful to me in the past half hour we have been in this bathroom. Because of your nonsensical tantrum, I now have to refill the tub. What do you have to say for yourself?" Stubbornly, I stayed quiet over his legs. "Very well then." I gasped when the first swat landed against my rump. With my skin still being cold from the weather, the iciness of his hand caused the smack to sting more so than usual. Tears sprang to my eyes at the pain, and I wiggled over him. "No, Isabella. You brought this upon yourself, you will endure your punishment."

By the third spank, I was clutching to his jeans with tears spilling from my eyes as I whimpered. "Do you understand, Isabella, that what I am doin' is for your health and wellbein'?" I couldn't answer him as my breath hitched, and his hand came down on my sit spots. "An answer, if you please little girl." I frantically nodded my head. "Y-yes!" Jasper gave me one last swat before gathering me into his arms and cradling me to his chest. He said nothing as he reached over to the tub, draining the now cold water before plugging it back up and turning the faucets on once again. I curled up against him, my body sore and trembling as I huffed and sniffled. Holding a tissue to my nose, he instructed me to blow into it before tossing it into the garbage and wiping my face with a warm washcloth. "Hush darlin'. I got ya." His lips pressed to my forehead for a moment as he turned the taps off. "Darlin', I don't punish ya to be mean." His fingers trailed over my hip and thigh. "I do it when I know you need the guidance you're so desperately seekin'." I rubbed my face against his shirt, taking in his scent. "I-I'm s-sorry, Ja-Jas…"

Giving a nod, he stood from the toilet with me in his arms. "Are you ready for that bath now?" I nodded, hissing as the heated water made contact with my freezing flesh, causing my body to feel like I was on pins and needles. My ass was the sorest it had ever been in a long time, but as I relaxed against the back of the tub, the roaring thunder it had been had dulled down to a small roar. Pouring a capful of vanilla scented bubbles into the water, Jasper pressed a chaste kiss against my lips. "You just relax here and warm up, darlin'. I'll be back." He turned my iPod on before he left, shutting the bathroom door to keep the warmth in for me as soft Christmas tunes floated through the speakers against the wall.

Sinking down until the water and bubbles surrounded my face, I rubbed my hands against my thighs and breathed out from my nose, making ripples. I wasn't quite so sure what had come over me that had caused that tantrum. Thinking back, it really _had_ been awhile since Jasper had had to punish me with a spanking or corner time… Remorse filled me when I recalled how I was acting. The vampire was looking out for me, taking care of me and recognizing the fact that I could not (or would not) do it myself. I was ever so thankful that we had been able to acknowledge our bond.

It was after that horrible farce of a birthday party, and after Edward had left me in the woods after breaking up with me. I was catatonic for _months_ until Jasper had suddenly showed up at my window one night. When he looked at me, I could tell he wasn't happy with what he saw. Deep bags that were a dark purple/black lined my eyes from lack of sleep, my hair was a tangled rat's nest; dulled, lifeless and brittle, just like my soul was. I had lost a lot of weight from lack of eating, which caused my clothes to hang from my frame like rags, and my skin was splotchy and roughened with dead skin and acne. "Oh Isabella…what have we done to you?" I stayed curled up against my headboard, covered in blankets as I shivered from the cool Forks air. Swinging his other long leg through the window, he slid it shut and slowly approached my bedside. I hadn't blinked since he had arrived, just stared up at his beautiful face. I was afraid that if my eyes closed, he would disappear.

My bed dipped where he sat down on it, and his fingers lightly brushed against my gaunt face. The iciness of his marble touch had snapped me out of my stupor, and I swallowed hard. "Jas-Jasper?" He nodded, his honey blond curls bobbing against his face as he did so. "You're re-really her-here?" He gently circled his hand around my thin wrist and stroked his thumb over my skin. "I'm here, Isabella. I came to apologize." I remember I had cried out and launched myself at his chest, trying to wrap my body around his as I clung to him, sobbing into his chest. His arms wrapped around my back and his nose skimmed over my hair. "Hush, Isabella. I'm real, and I'm here." It hadn't taken me very long to cry myself to sleep in his lap, and when I woke in the morning, he was still in my room with me.

The next few weeks were hell on me as Jasper had forced me to start taking care of myself again. In the beginning, I hadn't wanted to leave him, my feelings of abandonment still hot and fresh in my mind, but over time, he had shown me that he wasn't going anywhere. The first thing he did was ply me with soup until I could eat no more of it, and then we had started to work our way up to solid foods. The first day I had showered away all of the grime I felt I had been saturated in since September, was the first day on the road to my recovery. I had forgotten how much I had loved standing under a hot spray of water as it melted away my stresses and worries. That was also the first day Jasper had ever brushed my hair. It was so nice, that I had fallen asleep. Nights had become better as well. The nightmares of Edward leaving me were slowly dwindling down to nothing, until I was no longer waking up and screaming.

At Jasper's insistence, I had tested out of school, choosing to graduate online instead. To say that Charlie was surprised at my change of character, would be an understatement. He was damn near tickled pink. Jasper didn't keep his being in Forks a secret for long, and it wasn't long before he was over at my house just about every day, watching sports with Charlie and helping me on the road to recovery. The process of coming back to myself was slow, but it was worth it to see a smile on Jasper's face when I had let out my first genuine laugh in five months. At night, after Charlie had gone to sleep, Jasper would crawl back in through my window and lay with me on my bed, making sure I was tucked in all nice and snug before we settled down to talk.

We spoke of anything and everything under the sun and moon. He told me of his life, how he had grown up in Houston Texas in the 1800's, and of how he had been recruited into Maria's army as her second-in-command in the Southern Vampire Wars. He also told me of Peter and Charlotte, his children, so to speak. "That's where I've been, mostly. I own the ranch Peter and Char run for me in Greeley. I'll take you there sometime." The smiles Jasper could give out seemed to make my heart burst with sunshine in my chest. After he had told me his story, showed me his scars, I told him of my childhood. How I had grown up being the adult after Charlie and Renee's divorce, taking care of my flighty mother as she flitted from one hobby or man to the next. I told him of how happy I was when she finally settled down with Phil; how relieved I was that he could curb my mother's enthusiasm.

I spoke of how painful it was when I was with Edward. I told Jasper everything about the relationship, and, now that I could look back on it clearly, how toxic it was. He held his anger well enough until I told him about the woods back in September. He had stood from my bed and kissed my forehead. "I will be back, darlin'. I just have to let off some steam." I nodded, understanding where he was coming from. Gripping my old stuffed rabbit that I had taken to sleeping with again, I pulled it to my chest and nuzzled into it. Jasper said that was how he had found me when he had returned from destroying some foliage. The next night, I had told him about how I felt when it came to Charlie. I felt so horrible for all the shit I had put him through since Edward and the Cullen's had left, and he didn't deserve that.

Jasper had done something for me that no one really ever had, those nights we laid in my bed. He had listened. He had treated me as his equal, like I wasn't something that would break with a mere touch. And with that realization came another. I was in love with him…our relationship had developed the way it was supposed to. Naturally, and without outside forces to egg it on. I had been afraid at first of the feeling, but when my chest didn't feel as though it was being torn in two, I was amazed. With that came another fear. What would Alice say? I was ashamed that I had fallen so hard for my best friend's husband, but Jasper quickly nipped that in the bud. "Alice and I haven't been together that way in a long time, Isabella. I'm sure she would be happy for us." I doubted it until one day, his phone buzzed with Alice's name on the caller I.D.. "Bella! You don't need to worry about me! Just live your life! Jasper's good for you, I can tell." It was a short conversation that had me crying in his lap again, but with that call came the news I had been waiting months to hear.

The Cullen's were returning to Forks.

It had taken awhile for me to trust the vampire family again, but slowly and surely, the bonds began to come back, with the exception of Edward. I didn't know if I could forgive him for the way he left me so long ago. I had had time to heal, but I had never really had closure from it. Jasper ended up punching Edward in the face that day and throwing him into a tree. Edward and I weren't quite on speaking terms yet, but that was another slow going process to get over.

"Reminiscing, darlin'?" I jumped at the gravelly sound of Jasper's voice above me, and gave a sheepish smile. "Yeah…" He smiled and kneeled down to the floor, skimming his fingers over the top of the water. "Have you turned into a prune yet?" I giggled and flicked water at his face. "Maaaaaybe!" Rubbing the liquid from his cheeks onto his sleeve, he leaned forward and gave me an Eskimo kiss. "May I wash your hair, Isabella?" Oh he sure knew which buttons to press to make me melt. That was another thing I loved about Jasper. He always asked me for my permission before touching me or taking me somewhere. There were a few exceptions to those rules, but almost always, he was quite the Southern gentleman of long ago. "Yes please!" It was the simple things that made him happy, which in turn made me happy. It was a good cycle.

With my body now warmed up and clean, Jasper wrapped me up in a towel and carried me into the bedroom where he had laid out some pajamas for me on the bed. Drying off, I pulled on the dark green boy shorts and Grinch fuzzy pj bottoms and waffle shirt before padding back into the bathroom and grabbing my hairbrush. Flipping my hair down, I attempted to towel it dry before flipping it back up and picking up a hair tie. Humming along to The Carpenter's 'Merry Christmas Darling' softly playing from the speakers, I handed over my brush into Jasper's waiting hand and crawled onto the big four-poster bed. Having my hair brushed by Jasper was the single most wonderful feeling in the world. As he pulled the bristles through my tangles, his roughened voice softly sang out 'White Christmas', and I pushed out all the love and happiness I felt. "Did you want a braid, baby girl?" Passing back the tie, I nodded. "Please."

I fondly remembered Rosalie trying to teach Jasper how to French braid my hair. They were both so exasperated with one another, they had each given up after only five tries! Now, we just stick with the regular plait. Pushing my long braid over my shoulder, Jasper's lips pressed against my shoulder as he pulled me to his chest. We reveled in our bubble for a little while longer until my stomach made itself known. He chuckled and scooped me up, covering my feet with black and green striped fuzzy socks, before taking me down to the kitchen at a human pace. "What would you like to eat, Bella?" I smiled at Esme and shrugged, rubbing my nose against Jasper's neck. "Words, Isabella." Looking up at him, he quirked a brow down at me and I gave a nod, clearing my throat. "Anything is fine, thank you, Esme." She smiled and flitted about the kitchen, whipping something up. Sitting down on the chair, Jasper ran his nose along my neck once more as he cradled me against his chest. "Good girl." Damn that man! I shivered and rubbed my thighs together, a whine building in my throat.

With a stern look from Jasper, I turned the whine into a clearing of my throat, and he nodded. In no time, Esme sat a plate of grilled cheese sandwiches and tomato bisque soup in front of me, along with a glass of water. "Thanks, mom!" Her face lit up again, causing those warm fuzzies to burst in my chest again, and I decided to share them with Jasper this time. He smiled against my shoulder, and I ate in companionable silence. "Bella! We're going to watch a Christmas movie! Come on!" I laughed at Alice's exuberance, and slid from Jasper's lap to take my dirty dishes to the sink to wash them and load them up into the dishwasher. Taking my hand, he led me into the living room, where the glass coffee table had been moved more towards Edward's piano, and a bunch of pillows and blankets had been arranged on the floor in front of the couch. "We're going to watch Rudolph! Then Frosty the Snowman, The Little Drummer Boy, and Nightmare Before Christmas!" I laughed as Alice pulled me down to the floor with her onto the mounds of pillows and wrapped a blanket around my shoulders to keep away any chill.

Jasper popped the first DVD into the player and settled me between his legs as he sat on the couch, his hand petting my hair. Alice and I giggled together on the floor and by the time we got to The Little Drummer Boy, my eyes were at half-mast and I was resting my head against Jasper's leg. "I think it's bedtime, for the human!" Carlisle gave a quiet laugh and I barely registered being picked up from the floor and rushed to bed. Laying me in the middle of the mattress, Jasper turned out the lights and tucked me in. Seeing that it was still bright in the room, I sat up and turned around on the bed, looking out of the window before he could shut the blackout curtains. "Look Jay! It's snowing again!" He laughed softly and crawled up behind me, wrapping his arms round my middle. "That's usually what Forks weather does in December, darlin'." Rolling my eyes, I shook my head and drew a heart through the ice of the window. We sat there for a while, watching the snow fall and collect on the ground. I could see our snowman, and started to laugh. "Hmm?" I leaned back against his chest, still laughing. "We should've given the snowman arms…"

Mimicking my earlier eye roll, Jasper dragged me back down and shut the curtain. "Alright darlin'. Bedtime." Too tired to argue, I yawned widely and snuggled into the pillows, sniffling slightly as Jasper flitted about the room, probably changing his clothes into pjs. I smiled when he crawled into bed behind me, pulling me to his chest. I sniffled again, and heard him sigh. "I told ya you were gettin' sick." Sticking my tongue out at him, I snuggled against him. "Well, when I'm all stuffed up and gross in the mornin', you can tell me 'I told you so', okay?" He chuckled and nuzzled the top of my head before kissing me. "Sleep, my Isabella." I rubbed the back of my hand over my eyes and nodded. "Night Jas…Merry Christmas…" His long fingers lightly caressed my arm. "Merry Christmas, Isabella."

I drifted off into a peaceful sleep filled with silver bells and sugar plum fairies.


End file.
